Top Ten Baseball Cards Of All Time

Over the past few years, the glorious rise in baseball card values has slowed, with several other parts of the economy, to a more sustainable pace. But just as A-list stocks stay a cut above, the top cards continue to fetch big money. The ten cards below are the most valuable regular issue baseball cards. For simplicity sake, each player is represented by his most valuable card. Otherwise, Mickey Mantle and his Yankee brethren would hog the list.

Click on each image to see what the card is worth now.

The baseball card market works on simple supply and demand. So what makes a card so valuable?

For the cards of stars like Ted Williams, Nolan Ryan or Cal Ripken, the players' overwhelming popularity and accomplishments keeps the value of their cards high. But, just like stamps and coins, errors--if caught and corrected early--get high premiums. For example, a 1990 Topps Frank Thomas card was printed without his name on the front. It sells for more than $600. It was caught very early, and the corrected card sells for just $2.

A card's condition also plays an important role, so if you've still got a trunk full of old baseball cards stowed away in your parent's basement, don't get your hopes up. It doesn't matter how great your collection was if all your cards are water-damaged.

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The card that started it all. There are around 100 believed to be still in existence and only ten in decent condition. Supposedly Wagner, a Hall of Fame second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, objected to cigarette smoking and demanded his cards be pulled from production. The last recorded auction price for a Wagner T206 was $1.1 million in 2000.

Card images and prices courtesy of Beckett.com.

1914 E145-1 Cracker Jack #30Ty Cobb, OF Detroit Tigers$3,600-$6,000

The "Georgia Peach" was actually nothing of the sort. A gritty, sometimes dirty player, Cobb was the all-time hits leader until Pete Rose broke his record in 1985. Still, he's carried his reputation to the grave--perhaps capping his card value.

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson--a great player in his day --has become an even greater myth. Immortalized in Eight Men Out and Field of Dreams, the ongoing effort to clear the name of Jackson has helped maintain this card's value. Jackson was banned from baseball in 1919 after allegedly helping to throw the World Series. Jackson supporters say he was duped. His stats from the Series support their claim.

Card images and prices courtesy of Beckett.com.

1933 Goudey #106Nap Lajoie$20,000-$30,000

Originally left out of the 1933 Goudey set, this card was only available to collectors who wrote in to request it. Presumably, the remaining inventory was destroyed. Lajoie was a solid hitter from 1896-1916, reaching .426 in 1901 with the Phillies.

Card images and prices courtesy of Beckett.com.

1933 Goudey #53Babe Ruth, OF New York Yankees$3,500-$5,000

One of four Ruth cards in the set, the "Sultan of Swat" was bigger than the sport itself in the '20s and '30s. And his first cards still call him Herman.

Card images and prices courtesy of Beckett.com.

1938 Goudey Heads Up R323 #274Joe DiMaggio, OF New York Yankees$2,000-$3,500

With Lou Gehrig departing Yankee Stadium in '38, Joe. D. carried up the Yankee tradition until the arrival of Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra. His 56-game hitting streak is thought to be one of the last "untouchable" records still standing.

Card images and prices courtesy of Beckett.com.

1949 Leaf #8Leroy "Satchel" Paige, P Cleveland Indians$3,500-$6,000

After 22 years in the Negro Leagues without a baseball card, Leaf issued a Paige following his first year with the Cleveland Indians. His major league stats are not impressive--seeing as they came in the twilight of his career. But, evidenced by his Negro League performance, oh, what could have been.

Willie Mays' stance on his rookie card exhibits the determination of the "Say Hey Kid." He went on to become, arguably, the greatest all-around baseball player ever.

Card images and prices courtesy of Beckett.com.

1952 Topps #311Mickey Mantle, OF New York Yankees$12,000-$18,000

This is the baseball card that brought collecting to prominence in the 1980s. The Mick's popularity, coupled with Baby Boomers' desire to reclaim the cards of their youth after mom tossed them away, pushed this card into the stratosphere for post-War collectibles.

Card images and prices courtesy of Beckett.com.

1954 Bowman #66ATed Williams, OF Boston Red Sox$2,000-$3,500

In 1954, Ted Williams was signed only with Topps. Mickey Mantle was just with Bowman. When a Williams Bowman card showed up, either Topps or Williams or both had it pulled from production, making this card especially scarce.